~~~~ Notes from Nancy ~~~~
          Creating the Life You Want
                                                         September, 2006

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There are still one or two spaces open in the Concepts class tonight. If you've been sitting on the fence, look into your heart and see if it's time for you to see life more clearly.

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I can do nothing for you but work on myself…
You can do nothing for me but work on yourself!
                                            ~ Ram Dass, Be Here Now

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In my 6 plus years of writing newsletters I think this is the first time I could not find a quote that fit the topic. Everything I found about giving and receiving talked about being worthy of receiving, or it was more blessed to give, or that you received from your giving. What I want to talk about is receiving.

I have learned from the many e-mails I receive from you that most of you are fairly good at giving. You give your time, your energy, your thoughts, and more to others. Many of your put others before yourself and have a hard time giving to yourselves; so hard in fact that you often must learn how to give to yourself. What I have also learned is that you are not so good at receiving.

You fend off compliments, ignore offers of help, want never to be beholding, so never ask, and never receive even the help you need. You drag through life never experiencing the joy of fully giving your gifts because you attempt to pour them out of an empty pitcher; never taking the time to renew and refill by receiving. Some of you go seeking love, joy, acceptance, accomplishments in the outer world even when it's growing in your own back yard because to accept it was there you would have to receive and you only know how to give - so you spend your precious life seeking, but not finding. Sometimes this is because of beliefs you formed in childhood; those that were given to you: "It is more blessed to give than receive." And those you may have learned through pain: "Gifts have strings - don't owe anybody."

The problem is that all of nature, human and otherwise, was set up to receive and give. The trees receive light and warmth and produce leaves and fruit. The rivers receive the melting snow and give it back to the air which produces rain. The moon receives the light of the sun which is the only reason we can see it. In our own bodies we breathe in first and then breathe out. Receive and give. In most cultures we speak of give and receive, but in most situations including the one that brought us into this world creation and life are based on opening first to receive in order to produce life.

My own belief is that it is not that we do not know how to give; it is that we do not know how to receive. I find graceful receivers give naturally from their abundance because they have taken in enough to have more than they need. They never think about giving. It comes naturally. While poor receivers are always struggling to dole out stingily from their meager store; stretching their little thinly as it becomes less and less.

Are you open to receive? Can you allow the gifts of others to penetrate your protective armor? Do you feel vulnerable or beholding when you receive? Can you be a graceful receiver?

Receiving is known as a feminine or yin energy; and in our world often not honored. Yet there is no giving without first receiving. The joy of receiving fully, openly, and without reservation has been vastly under rated. How can you begin being open to receive? Look at this day and receive it's gifts joyfully. It may be warm or cold, sunny or dreary; but each day is a gift and is yours to receive. Stop pushing offers of help away. Notice all the gifts life gives you every day. Stop limiting what you receive to only that which is packaged the way your perceptions want it to be. Gifts in brown paper bags or no wrappings at all are as valuable as those wrapped in fancy paper and ribbons. Say yes; refill your pitcher. Ask for assistance, from coworkers, clients, bosses, family, loved ones, God. And then gratefully accept the gift they offer without judging whether or not it was exactly what you thought you should get. Open your heart and mind and start saying "yes" to life - by receiving all the gifts it has to offer.

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Upcoming Open Events & Possibilities

Concepts for Conscious Living Telephone Workshop
This Concepts Class is a prerequisite for the class on
Thoughts, Beliefs and Knowing. This will be the last
Concepts Class to qualify for taking the Fall TBK class..
If you're interested in tools for making sense of life
if you're looking for ways to function better
so you can clear and do what you're here to do - Come!
Actual Course starts tonight!
6 weeks, Mondays, 8-9pm EDT
beginning September 11th
$175 for 1 or $300 for 2 & $26 for book and cards
$100 ($190 for 2) for clients and those who'd like to
grow even more by taking it again!
Double your value by doing the course with a partner!
e-mail nancy@nancybaker.net for details
I would say to someone wanting to know about the course, "If you are ready to empower yourself by taking responsibility for where you are at and where you would like to go, you will be inspired by Nancy's gift of intuition, direction and experience" and this class isn't for sissys :) ~ Sherilen

Thoughts, Beliefs and Knowings
Learn how your thoughts and beliefs keep you where you
are and how to begin to change them
The 6 week Concepts Telephone Workshop is a
prerequisite for this class
6 weeks, Mondays, 8-9pm ET beginning October 23rd
$200 includes booklet on Thoughts, Beliefs and Knowings
Register by October 1 and pay only $175
e-mail nancy@nancybaker.net for details

Concepts for Conscious Living - Master Level Coaching
ICF 11th Annual International Coaching Conference
Saturday, November 4, 2:15-3:45pm
America's Center, St. Louis, MO
information available at www.coachfederation.org
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If you're not satisfied with the way life is working for you,
if you're stuck, feeling there must be something more,
if you're ready for life to get better -
What are you waiting for? Call or e-mail today.
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Nancy lives outside of Philadelphia with husband Ed and cat Bear.
She is a available for personal consultation, coaching and mentoring
(by phone or in person), article writing, speeches, keynote
presentations, and workshops for individuals, groups, and
organizations worldwide.
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Life is a journey that's taken one step at a time.
You can live the life you want - believe it.
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attached. Please contact Nancy about publication or mass
duplication. Copyright 2001- 2006 all rights reserved.
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